The present invention relates to a carrying case and a method of manufacturing thereof, and more particularly to a bag and method of manufacturing soft-sided bags particularly adapted for outdoor activities.
People engaged in outdoor activities usually carry a number of items, such as food supplies, ammunition for hunting guns, and other similar items that need to be protected from moisture. Under such conditions, provision of a moisture-impermeable carrying case or container becomes essential.
Conventional carrying cases or containers are not, as a general rule, completely watertight. Moisture can seep through the line of closure, through zippers, openings under the zippers and cause deterioration of the contents of the carrying case. Even bags or carrying cases constructed from water repellent material suffer from imperfections in construction, as they do not allow creation of truly a watertight enclosure.
The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacks associated with the prior art and provision of a carrying case and a method of manufacturing a moisture-impermeable bag that can serve as a container for moisture-sensitive items.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a bag and a method of manufacturing a moisture-impermeable carrying case.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a carrying case and a method of making same, such the bag is moisture-impermeable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bag and a method of manufacturing a moisture-impermeable carrying case with a flexible body.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved through a provision of a bag and a method for manufacturing soft-sided moisture-proof carrying case. The method comprises the steps of forming a main body having opposite narrow ends and elongated sides. The main body is made from material cut on a bias.
A pair of end panels, having a generally drop-shaped configuration are cut from the same material. Each end panel is attached to a respective narrow end of the main body by dielectric welding. To avoid wrinkles in the finished product, the narrow ends of the main body are stretched to confirm to the size and shape of the end panel.
The soft-sided bag can be manufactured with one or more handles, each carrying securing buckles, if desired. A zip-lock closure member is secured by dielectric welding to the open end of the bag after the end panels have been secured. The closure member can be made from extruded plastic material and provided with pull-out tabs to facilitate opening of the bag.
To prevent tearing of the closure adjacent its line of attachment to the main body, an end sleeve is secured to the main body and to the closure member, slightly overlapping the closure member and the main body. The end sleeve is provided with a reservoir to accommodate melted material, which is created when the closure element is exposed to radio frequency, or dielectric welding.
The soft-sided carrying case manufactured in accordance with the method of the present invention can be made in the shape of a duffel bag, a gun carrying case, or any other desired shape. By using double-coated embossed polyurethane for the main body and the end panels, as well as zip-lock closure member, a moisture-impermeable body is created. The main body is coated with #420 denier nylon for better appearance and variations in color and texture.